Sliding fit fastener



I April 22, 1958 J. MAYER SLIDING FIT FASTENER Filed Dec. 20. 1954 i INVENTORI Joe L. JWqyer SLIDING FHT FASTENER Joe L. Mayer, Portland, Greg, assignor to Simplicity Tool Company, Portiand, Ureg, a corporation of Oregon Application December 29, 1954, Serial No. 476,383

6 Claims. (Cl. 28754) This invention relates to a fastener or keeper adapted to fix and lock a rod-like member transversely of a tubelike member and, more particularly, to a fastener which effects such a joinder with a sliding wedge-type movement providing good electric contact between the two members.

One object of my invention is to provide a novel fastener for securing a rod-like member transversely of a tube-like member without using a screw driver, wrench or other tool. A correlated objective is to provide a fastener which will etfect a tight, etficient joinder without requiring close manufacturing tolerances in the fabrica tion of either the fastener or the members.

One. field of use in which the instant invention finds particular utility is in connecting and joining the various structural elements of a home-type outside television antenna. Accordingly, while the use of the fastener is not restricted to this field, the advantages of the invention will be discussed with relation to the assembly of an exemplary television antenna.

To the above end, a typical outside television antenna consists of several aluminum parts including a vertical mast which is mounted upon a roof or the like in order to carry a horizontal boom. This boom usually is an elongated hollow tube having solid rod-like elements secured transversely thereof. In the trade, the transverse solid elements are termed antenna elements and it is one object of my invention to secure these antenna elements to a boom in a manner which will promote good electric contact and good reception, yet with an assembly procedure which does not require the use of tools. 1

It is common practice in the erection of aluminum outside television antennae to ship the parts in knockdown condition for assembly at the point of erection. Thus, the workman is enabled to assemble the most efiicient type of antenna for the best possible television reception only after he has surveyed the surrounding terrain and taken readings of the station power radiated to the location under consideration. Having made this survey and taken these readings, the workman will assemble the mast, boom, and antenna elements on the ground adjacent the erection site. Thereinafter, the assembled antenna is lifted to the roof or other location and secured in place. Lead wires then are run down the side of the building to the point at which the television receiver is located and actual reception tests are made with the receiver turned on. These actual tests once again may require that either the mast or boom be rotated or tilted slightly or that the antenna elements be adjusted or that antenna elements of difiering length or configuration be installed. This manner of assembly and this method of adjustment point up the need for a fastener which will allow the antenna elements to be adjusted and/ or to be removed and replaced with facility either on the ground or upon the roof. It is this function which my fastener invention performs most efiiciently and without the use of tools.

In service of the above objective, a pair of aligned apertures are drilled through the tubular boom to re- 2,831,717 Patented Apr. 22, 1958 ceive my fastening device and a pair of aligned openings are drilled at points spaced from the apertures in order slidably to receive the rod-like antenna element.- The fastener per se includes an elongated bolt which is slidably received within the aligned apertures and is provided with a curved portion which bends about the periphery of the antenna element and frictionally bearsv thereupon.

One end of the bolt is provided with threads and a wing nut cooperates therewith to draw the bolt through the aligned apertures. This movement forces the curved section of thelbolt against the periphery of the rod-like antenna element and thusmoves the antenna element laterally with a sliding movement against the bounding periphery of the aligned openings. The wing nut can be tightened by hand sufiiciently to provide a good electric contact between the hollowtubular boom and the antenna element. Conversely, the wing nut can be backed off in order to allow a ready and a fast adjustment of the antenna element in the openings provided therefor. The workman thus is enabled to adjust the position of the antenna elements with one hand even while standing upon a roof and/ or while holding on to a ladder or the-like in a somewhat insecure position. Further, the curved portion of the fastener is arranged to grasp and to hold the rod-like element even though close manufacturing tolerances have not been observed,

A further object of my invention is to provide a hollow tube and a rod-like means with an extremely simple fastener which securely yet quickly will fix the rod-like element in placelaterally of the hollow tube simply by hand tightening a threaded nut upon a threaded bolt, the actual joinder of the hollow tube and rod-like element being effected with a sliding or rolling movement of the rod to provide good electric contact. I

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a metal fastener which will join a metal rod and a hollow'metal tube without drilling holes or tappingthreads in the rod and without damaging, marring, or otherwise defacing the rod or tube.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a fastener per se which includes an elongated bolt having an olfset section intermediate the ends thereof adapted to straddle and frictionally to bear upon the periphery ofa rod-like member which is secured in place by the fastener.

These and other objects and advantages of. my invention will be set forth in the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the boom and three antenna elements of a television antenna, each antenna element being joined to the boom by means of one of my novel fasteners;

Fig. 2 is an end view, taken substantially in the direction of the line 22 in Fig. 1, showing the manner in which the take-up bolt holds the antenna element securel in position in cooperation with a wing nut; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view, taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2, showing the manner in which the take-up bolt straddles and frictionally bears uponthe periphery ofthe rod-like element to provide a tight fit eve though close tolerances have not been observed.

In the drawings, 1 have illustrated an ei-zemplary three element television boom 1 which is adapted to be mounted and braced upon a mast. The mast, braces, and lead-in Wires are not shown since the details thereof form no part of the instant invention' The antenna elements 5, however, are illustrated since it is one functionof my sliding fit fastener to secure such rod-like elements to a tube-like element such as the boom 4. As will be apparent, certain reception problems or specialized'installaangles to the boom 4. Thus, while my fastener is of equal'utility in fixing obliquely disposed rod-like elements -to atube 4, the right angle disposition is more common in television and has been chosen for purposes of illustration.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, the boom 4 is an elongated hollow aluminum tube having a pair of aligned circular openings 6. These openings 6 pierce the opposite sides of the wall of the tube and receive the rod-like aluminum antenna elements 5. As shown in Fig. 3, the openings 6 are oversized and are larger than t the rod elements 5 to provide a sliding fit and to accommodate limited lateral movement of the rods within the openings. Thus, the openings 6 can be formed without observing close tolerances and a large diameter hole can be used with a variety of rod sizes.

' To receive the fastener per se, the opposite sides of the wall of the boom 4 are pierced by a pair of aligned circular apertures 7. These apertures are spaced substantially 90 degrees about the periphery of the boom 4 from the openings 6. In addition, it is preferable to locate the common axis of the apertures 7 at a point which is displaced longitudinally of the tube 4 with respect to the common axis of the openings 6. in. this manner, the apertures 7 are adapted to receive the elongated metal bolt 8 which forms a primary element of the fastening device.

1 The bolt 8 is provided with an offset section 9 intermediate the ends thereof. The inner portion of this offset section 9 is curved on a concave sweep as indicated at 10 in Fig. 3. This concave sweep preferably is formed on a greater radius than the radius of the rod-like element 5 inorder to define a more or less universal fit and to provide a sliding fit between these parts. Thus, the offset section 9 straddles the rod with the circular sweep 10 frictionally engaging the periphery of the rod. The ex tent or dimension of the ofiset section is, of course, related directly to the relative positions of the apertures 7 and openings 6. Where the axes or these lateral elements intersect, the section '9 must be offset more than the illustrated amount in order to straddle the periphery ofthe rod-like element.

'As indicated in both Figs. 2 and 3, the end of the bolt 8 is formed with threads 11 which mate with companion threads tapped in a wing nut 12. The opposite end of the bolt 8 may be formed with a head 13 where desired, but the provision or nonprovision of this latter element is optional with the fabricator of the fastener since the head does not contact the tube in use. In any event, it will be noted that the apertures 7 are oversize and are larger than the bolt 8 both to pass the offset section 9, allowing an assembly of the parts or a withdrawal of the bolt from the tube and to allow a limited lateral move ment of the bolt within the apertures during a tightening operation. Here again close manufacturing tolerances are-not required and one large size aperture can receive a variety of bolt sizes.

In actual use, of course, the above described fastener may be utilized to fix any rod-like or tube-like member transversely of another tube-like member either at 90 degrees or at an oblique angle. In the exemplary television antenna, the bolts 8 first are slipped through the companion apertures 7 and the wing nuts 12 loosely assembled upon the threaded ends 11. Thereinafter the antenna elements 5 one by one are inserted through the aligned openings 6 provided for this purpose. With the elements in place, the wing nut 12 is tightened upon the threads 11 until the upper face thereof bears upon the exterior of the boom at the point indicated by the reference numeral 14 in Fig. 3. This take-up and longitudinal movement of the bolt 8 force the curved sweep 10 of the oifset section 9 frictionally to engage the periphery of the rod-like element 5. Continued rotation of the wing nut 12 then forces the rod 5 laterally with a wedge-like and with a sliding or rolling motion against the margins p of theopenings 6 to fix the rod in place. In a typical television antenna, all of these elements are formed of aluminum or steel and the sliding fit thus provided assures a good electric contact. That is to say, as the rodlilie element 5 is forced against the margins of the openings 5, it is rolled and squeezed at the same time so as to provide a tight fit. At the same time, the bolt 3 is moved in an opposite direction against the opposite margins of the aligned apertures 7. This is of additional benefit in providing a good electric contact where the bolt 8 is formed of conductive material.

From the above description, it will be noted that the head 13 upon the bolt 8 is an optional element and is not essential to hold the parts in place. At the same time, it will be noted that the size of the bolt and the size of the offset section h provided therein will vary both with the diameter of the tube-like boom 4 and with the diam eter of the rod-like antenna element 5. in the usual home receiver television antenna construction, the boom 4 may be one inch in diameter and the antenna element 5 may be one quarter or five sixteenths inch in diameter. With these dimensions, a one eighth inch diameter aluminum bolt with a one eighth inch offset is of sufficient strength and size to hold the parts securely in place when the apertures and openings are displaced one eighth inch longitudinally of the tube. This longitudinal displacement of the apertures and openings allows the use of a somewhat smaller offset section 9 than would be necessary were the axes of the openings 6 and apertures 7 aligned in direct intersection.

Attention is directed to the fact that the adjacent peripheral margin of the bolt 8 lies to one side of the longitudinal center line of the antenna element 5, and the upper corner or point of joinder between the circular sweep 16 and the periphery of the bolt 8 is rather sharp. Thus, when pressure is applied to pull the bolt 8 downwardly as viewed in Fig. 3, said'corner tends to bite or key into the-rod element 5. This is particularly true if the bolt element 8 is made of steel and the rod element 5 is made of aluminum, as is common in antenna construction. In practice, said corner produces a slight overhang or burr, and said overhang or burr extends inwardly of the sweep 10 and accentuates the biting or keying action. Thus, said biting or keying action is additive to the wedging action previously described.

In summary, it will be seen that I have provided an extremely simple fastener which is of substantially universal fit and use to fix any rod-like or tube-like member transversely of a second tube-like member with a sliding wedge-type fit. At the same time, the fastener can be either tightened or loosened by hand and without the use of tools, even though the workman employing the fastener may have but one hand free and may be located in a precarious position such as upon a ladder or the roof of a building. The fastener is of simple and inexpensive construction so as readily to compete both pricewise and in.

function with other substitute devices available to the purchasing public. At the same time, the fastener can be fabricated without observing close manufacturing tolerances and one fastener size is capable of function ing with a variety of rods and tubes. This is of substantial benefit in providing an inexpensive article of manufacture.

I claim:

1.111 combination with a hollow tube having openings diametrically. piercing the opposite sides of the wall thereof, a rod-like means longitudinally slidable within and between said openings, a bolt member longitudinally movable in a direction normal to said rod-like means, said bolt having an offset section, intermediate the ends thereof,v straddling and having a curved portion frictionally bearing upon the periphery of said rod-like means within said hollow tube, and take-up means operatively engaging said bolt member to'move said curved portion forcefully against said rod-like means fixing the rod-like means in contact with the margins of said openings.

2. In combination with a hollow tube having a pair of aligned openings diametrically piercing the opposite sides of the wall thereof, a rod-like means which is slightly smaller than said openings longitudinally slidable within and spanning the distance between said openings, a bolt member longitudinally movable in a direction normal to the axis of said rod-like means, said bolt having a curved ofiset portion, intermediate the ends thereof, straddling and frictionally bearing upon the periphery of said rod-like means within said hollow tube, and take-up means without said tube operatively engaging said bolt member to move the inner surface of said curved offset portion forcefully against said rod-like means moving the rod-like means laterally into frictional contact with the margins of said openings.

3. In combination with an elongated hollow tube having a pair of aligned openings of identical marginal configuration diametrically piercing the opposite sides of the wall thereof, an elongated straight rod-like means longitudinally slidable within and spanning the distance between said openings, an elongated bolt member longitudinally movable in a direction normal to the axis of said rod-like means, said bolt having a curved portion, intermediate the ends thereof, straddling and frictionally bearing upon the periphery of said rod-like means within said hollow tube, and take-up means without said tube operatively engaging said bolt member to move said curved portion forcefully against said rod-like means fixing the rod-like means in contact with the margins of said openings, said elongated bolt member extending through the wall of said tube and carrying threads operatively engaged by mated threads on said take-up means, said take-up means including a threaded nut operatively engaging the threads upon said bolt and operatively bearing upon the exterior of said tube wall.

4. In combination with a hollow tube having a rodlike means of circular cross section movable through and diametrically across the tube in openings formed in the opposite sides of the wall of the tube and having a pair of aligned apertures piercing the opposite sides of the wall of said tube at points spaced about the periphery of the tube from said openings, a bolt member slidably received within and protruding through and beyond both of said aligned apertures, said bolt having an olfset section intermediate the ends thereof straddling and frictionally bearing upon the periphery of said rod-like means, said offset section being curved on a circular sweep having a greater radius than the radius of said rod-like means circular cross section, and take-up means located without said hollow tube for moving said offset section with a preselected force laterally against the periphery of said rod-like means to roll and slide the rod-like means into tight contact with the margins of said openings, said take-up means including a threaded nut operatively engaging mated threads upon a protruding portion of said bolt and operatively bearing upon the exterior of said tube wall.

5. An article of manufacture adapted to fix a rod-like member transversely of a tube-like member with a sliding fit providing good electric contact between the two members, comprising an elongated hollow metal tube having a pair of aligned apertures piercing the wall of the tube and having a pair of aligned openings piercing the opposite sides of the wall of said tube at points spaced about the periphery of the tube from said apertures, an elongated metal rod slidably received within and spanning the distance between said pair of openings, an elongated metal bolt slidably received within and spanning the distance between said pair of apertures, said openings and apertures being oversize and being larger than said rod and bolt respectively to provide a sliding fit and to accommodate limited lateral movement of the parts, said bolt being curved on a concave sweep about the periphery of said rod within the hollow interior of said tube with the curved portion frictionally engaging said rod periphery, said concave sweep being on a larger radius than the radius of said rod to provide a sliding contact when these parts are moved into tight abutment, and take-up means exterior of said tube and operatively engaging said bolt to draw the bolt longitudinally through said apertures with said curved portion forcing said rod laterally against the margins of said openings, said take-up means including a threaded nut member operatively engaging threads upon the end of said bolt and operatively bearing upon the exterior of said hollow tube.

6. An article of manufacture adapted to fix a rod-like member transversely of a tube-like member with a sliding fit providing good electric contact between the two members, comprising an elongated hollow tube having a pair of aligned circular apertures piercing the opposite sides of the wall of the tube with the common axis of the apertures arranged normal to the axis of the tube and having a pair of aligned circular openings piercing the wall of said tube at points spaced degrees about the periphery of the tube from said apertures, the common axis of said openings being normal to the axis of said tube and being displaced longitudinally of the tube from the axis of said apertures, an elongated straight rod slidably received within and spanning the distance between said pair of openings, an elongated bolt slidably received within and spanning the distance between said pair of apertures, said bolt being curved on a concave sweep about the periphery of said rod within the hollow interior of said tube with the curved portion frictionally engaging said rod periphery, said concave sweep being on a larger radius than the radius of said rod to provide a sliding contact, and take-up means exterior of said tube and operatively engaging said bolt to draw the bolt longitudinally through said apertures with said curved portion forcing said rod laterally against the margins of said openings to fix the rod in place, said circular apertures being sufliciently larger than said bolt to pass said concave sweep during assembly of the parts and to permit the withdrawal of the bolt from the tube during disassembly of the parts. 

